


Mother's Day

by boomerbird10



Series: Tiva/Tivali Drabbles [4]
Category: NCIS
Genre: Drabble, F/M, Gen, Tivali, Tivali fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-29
Updated: 2020-05-29
Packaged: 2021-03-03 00:48:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,569
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24446086
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/boomerbird10/pseuds/boomerbird10
Summary: In which Ziva finally gets to celebrate Mother's Day with her whole family.
Relationships: Ziva David/Anthony DiNozzo
Series: Tiva/Tivali Drabbles [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1749793
Comments: 1
Kudos: 18





	Mother's Day

Ziva wakes up to a pair of dark eyes staring at her from barely a foot away. " _Ima_! _Ima_ , are you awake?" Tali tries to whisper.

Ziva snorts and glances over her shoulder to where Tony is still fast asleep. "Yes, _ahava shelli_. What do you need?"

"Can I sleep with you?"

"Of course." Ziva pulls back the covers on the bed to allow the almost-6-year-old underneath them, but that's not what Tali wants. Instead, she climbs over her mother—stepping on a few vital organs along the way—to settle in between her parents.

Tali is a quick sleeper, and it isn't two minutes later that she's snoring lightly in Ziva's ear, one of her legs shoved back between Tony's and her fingers wrapped tightly in some of Ziva's curls. Clearly, she's in her happy place.

Ziva glances at the clock; it's 1:32am. It's officially Sunday, officially Mother's Day.

It's already perfect.

* * *

The next time Ziva wakes, she feels no compulsion to move. She knows it's still early—she consistently wakes before Tony or Tali, even now—and she's so full of utter contentment that she's loath to leave the warmth and dog pile-style comfort of having everyone in one bed. She stays where she is, enjoying the moment.

It isn't long before the other two begin to stir, though, and soon, whispering begins and Ziva pretends not to hear.

"Tals, do you remember what today is?"

"Mother's Day!"

"That's right, baby girl. Do you remember the plan?"

"Um, breakfast in bed, and presents, and flowers, and… I can't remember the rest."

"That's alright, you remembered a lot already. Are you ready to help me make breakfast?"

"Yeah!"

"Good deal. Remember, we have to hurry. _Ima_ always wakes up early. We really lucked out today, being up before her."

As they get up and leave the room, Ziva faces an unexpected challenge—suppressing her smile until they're out of sight so they don't know she's already awake.

* * *

Breakfast in bed turns out to be pancakes, orange juice, and… um, some _additions_.

When Tony and Tali come in singing a happy Mother's Day song to the tune of Happy Birthday, Ziva makes a big show of waking up, opening her eyes with a yawn and stretching. "What is all this?" she asks.

"It's Mother's Day, _Ima_! Um… it's _Ima_ 's Day?" Tali corrects herself uncertainly, making her parents laugh.

"Mother's Day is fine, my love. Now, what did you bring me?"

Tali carefully sets a tray in Ziva's lap and starts to explain the architecture of the breakfast that she helped create. "Juice for drinking, pancakes for eating, a princess toy and a dragon toy for playing, and I made you lego tea 'cause I know you like tea and playing legos with me."

Over Tali's head, Ziva can see Tony mouthing 'I couldn't stop her', so she grins, accepting the whole thing. "That was very thoughtful of you both, thank you! I love you—" she kisses Tali's cheek— "and you—" she tilts her head up and Tony gets the hint, dropping a light kiss to her lips— "very much."

"We love you, too, _Ima_!" Tali cries, delighted that their 'surprise' has gone over well.

Tony just grins and kisses both of their foreheads. "Eat up, Ziva. The pancakes will get cold."

"Alright, I will, but only if you join me."

And so the morning continues with all three of them chowing down on pancakes that get crumbs all over the sheets.

* * *

When Ziva finally emerges from the bedroom, she finds more surprises waiting for her. On the kitchen table, there are two vases full of flowers; one is colorful and wild, cheerful as the girl who certainly picked out the bouquet itself, and the other is a simple collection of red roses and baby's breath.

Ziva beams. "All of this for me?"

"Read my card, _Ima_!"

Ziva hadn't immediately noticed the envelopes sitting under each vase, and she picks up the one that says " _Ima_ " in messy letters on the front. Opening it, she finds an extraordinarily glittery card inside. "Would you like to read it to me, Tali?"

"Yeah!" Tali accepts the card Ziva's offering, but she also puts her arms up to be held. Ziva doesn't hesitate to pick her up—though she's getting too big to be regularly carried and she's quite heavy, Ziva won't give this up for anything.

Once Tali is settled in her mother's arms, she starts to read. "Dear _Ima_ , happy Mother's Day! You're my favorite _Ima_ in the whole world. I'm glad you are home with us this year! Mother's Day parties with just Daddy were not as much fun. Hugs and kisses and lots of love, Tali."

"Thank you, little one," Ziva says warmly, snuggling her daughter closer and feeling a little watery-eyed. "I love you more."

She really wonders about the Mother's Days of years past.

When she sets Tali down a few minutes later and reaches for the second card, Tony shakes his head almost imperceptibly. Later, he seems to say.

* * *

Tony and Tali have built a truly impressive blanket fort in the living room while Ziva "slept", and after a few minutes, they all retire to the inside of it for a lazy but wonderful afternoon of mother-themed kids' movies. They watch _Cheaper By the Dozen_ and _Cheaper By the Dozen 2_ , though Tali falls asleep for an involuntary nap part of the way into the second one.

Tony and Ziva leave her to sleep, going back to the kitchen. "May I open my card now?" Ziva asks quietly with a smile.

"Sure, if you want. I just didn't think you'd want to cry in front of Tali." Tony's arrogant smirk makes Ziva flick him, and he ducks away, laughing.

"What did you write?" Ziva demands suspiciously.

"Just read the card, impatient ninja."

Ziva rolls her eyes but does so.

_Z,_

_It's been a long road, hasn't it? There have been a lot of ups and a LOT of downs, but we made it here. That's what's important, right? The only constant here is that you've been the best mother in the world, ever since the beginning. You're endlessly patient with our girl, you love her more than I've ever seen anyone love anything, and she looks up to you like the superwoman you are._

_Watching you with Tali makes me fall in love with you again every day._

_We celebrated you every year on Mother's Day, just waiting for you to come home. We told stories—don't worry, I saved all the really good ones for when she's older—and made your favorite foods. We even listened to Israeli music. Tali said I'm not allowed to sing along to Hebrew songs anymore because I ruin them, but you know I never let anyone tell me to stop being obnoxious._

_As nice as those days were, they don't hold a candle to finally having you home again._

_There are a few more surprises coming today, and we hope you enjoy them. We adore you more than you could ever know, Ziva. Always will. Happy Mother's Day, sweet cheeks._

_All my love,_

_T_

"Told you you'd cry," Tony reminds her smugly when he notices her trembling lower lip, and though Ziva frowns at him, she doesn't resist as he pulls her against his chest.

They both laugh.

* * *

The other surprises turn out to be chocolates, a small musical performance at the piano by Tony and Tali, and something that Ziva genuinely wasn't expecting at all.

They're putting Tali to bed—in her own bed—at the end of the day when Tali holds up her stuffed dog. " _Ima_ , Kelev has a 'prise for you."

Ziva accepts the dog, bemused, and notices all of the sudden that the dog's right ear has been strung through a ring… a diamond ring.

Gaping, Ziva looks at Tali, who's beaming, and turns around to look at Tony. He's moved to be on the floor on one knee, and there's an expression of great warmth on his face. "Tony, what—"

"Just let me get this out, Ziva," Tony protests, laughing. "You don't _always_ have to interrupt." He takes the hand that isn't holding a toy. "Ziva, no matter what, you've always been my family. You _will_ always be my family—and now our family is bigger and more loved than ever before. The past few years have taught me to grab at happiness when I see it, and nothing makes me happier than my girls. I love you with all my heart—both of you—and so with Tali's help, I have a question. Will you—"

"WILL YOU MARRY DADDY?" Tali interrupts loudly, making Tony laugh.

"That was my line, baby!" he reminds her. "But Ziva, she makes a good point. I think you should marry me. What do you—"

This time it's Ziva who interrupts, knocking Tony onto his back on the floor with a kiss that makes Tali go "ew!"

"Is that a yes?" Tony asks, grinning, when Ziva finally lets him breathe.

" _Yes_."

* * *

"Happy Mother's Day, Ziva," Tony murmurs as they spoon in bed that night. "I love you, I really do."

"I love you, too, Tony, but I hope you understand that this holiday will be hard to top next year."

The sound and feel of his laughter carries her off to sleep.

Happy Mother's Day, indeed.


End file.
